Easel



Jan. 3, 1939. Al'qRlgTT 2,142,317

EASEL Filed April 29, 1938 I NV EN TOR.

r. JARRETT ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to easels and particularly to easels that may be easily assembled and adjusted for use and disassembled for transportation.

In the use of easels, particularly by artists, it is important that they be constructed for easy assembling, easy adjustment and easy disassembling without the use of tools, for various sized frames.

It is therefore one of the objects of this invention to provide an easel of knock down or disassembled parts which may be easily set up and adjusted for various sized pictures without the use of tools and which may be easily disassembled and folded in small space for transportation or storage in adwelling.

A particular object is to provide a portable easel with two front legs wider at the bottom than at the top, with a central leg in swingable relation with said front legs, which swingable leg may be positively locked in desired positions, both for supporting said two legs and for sustaining such swinging leg in close relation with other parts.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter stated I have illustratively exemplified my invention by the accompanying drawing of which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the easel assembled with the dotted outlines of a picture frame.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away and showing the rear central leg folded upon and attached to a central post by an adjustable jaw.

Figure 4 shows the parts detached and disassembled and folded into a small bundle for transportation.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front View of the upper portion of the easel with parts broken away.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail side elevation of the-swinging leg and post and jaw assembled in use.

Like characters and numerals on the different figures represent like parts.

A and B represent two front legs assembled in form with a space wider at the bottom than between the two at the top for rigidity in use. These legs are connected at their tops by a cap bar C, which has ends extending beyond the tops of the front legs to support a picture of greater width than the space of such two front legs and to prevent either side of such picture or frame from tipping backward when used. D, represents a connecting cross rail between said legs, and E, represents a post attached to and connecting said cap and said rail.

F represents a rear and centrally disposed leg connected to said post in swinging relation by arms or links 1 and 8 to provide for limited movement and adjustment in various positions of said central leg. Pivot pins 9 and I0 connect said links on opposite sides of said rear leg and post against lateral movement. A neck plate H, is rigidly attached to leg F, near the top thereof, which plate has jaws l2l2 extending therefrom. Studs l3 and M, are rigidly extended from one side of said post in spaced relation one above the other and said jaws are adapted to be slidably positioned over said studs for sustaining said rear leg in determined positions. When said jaws are positioned over the lower stud l3, the lower end or base of said central leg is held in lowered position and rearwardly respectively from said front legs to provide a rear supporting brace as seen in Fig. 2. When said jaws are positioned over stud I l, said rear leg is held in parallel position with said front legs and tightly bound against said post as seen in Fig. 3. Said studs are preferably provided with heads as l5, and a binding hook or latch 6, is preferably connected to said neck and adapted to be depressed over either of said studs between the said head and said jaws, whereby said jaws are compressed against said post in respective positions on either one of said studs.

Said front legs may be further connected by a cross brace G, for rigidity and are provided with a series of holes I'l-Il for retaining pegs H, for supports for any picture frames for varying elevations. Said cap bar, post, and rail are provided with dowel pins l8, l9, and 2!], which project therefrom and said front legs and post are provided with sockets 2!, 22, and 23 respectively for holding such pins therefh and for retaining such several parts in assembled position as seen in Fig. 1, including similar attachment means between said side legs and said cross brace. Such pins are preferably fitted sufiiciently tight to normally prevent such parts from separating when used for supporting pictures; but they are fitted loosely enough to still permit a ready manual separation without the use of tools for ready assembling in knock down or packed condition for transportation as shown in Fig. 4. The upper end or tip of the rear leg F, is bevelled as at 24 to provide a finger leverage for withdrawing said jaws from said studs when in position as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be understood, that when said central leg is elevated and bound to the post in the position shown in Fig. 3, that the lower end thereof will be free from the floor of any room closet, or other storing place, and will so stand in a condition free of all tipping or tilting effect of such central leg.

Having described my invention, I claim as new:

An adjustable easel comprising a pair of front legs for supporting a picture frame and being spaced apart wider at the base than at the top for rigidity when in use, a cap bar across the tops of said legs for connecting such legs, and projecting outward on each side therefrom for a backrest for such frame, a cross rail between said legs, a post connected to said rail at its base and to said cap at its top, each of said legs, rail, and cap, being connected together by pins for easy assembly and disassembly, a central rear swingable leg adjustably connected with said post, and means for so connecting the same comprising, a pair of parallel links with one of the ends thereof pivotally connected to the upper portion of said rear leg and the other ends thereof pivotally connected to said post for governing the movement of said rear leg relative to said post, a pair of studs spaced apart one above the other and projected from one side of said post, a pair of jaws attached to and projected from said rear leg toward said post and adapted to grip over said studs alternately for retaining the lower end of said rear leg in a sloping position behind said front legs when said jaws are in contact with said lower stud, and for retaining said rear leg in parallel position with said post when said jaws are gripped over said upper stud, for alternate use of said rear leg as a support, and to facilitate storing, packing and transportation of the easel when said rear leg is folded upon said post, respectively.

THOMAS JARRETT. 

